Coming up from the south and on my way to Milan, I passed through Bologna and spent the night there. When in Bologna you must eat bolognese sauce, so I went to a recommended restaurant called the Drogheria della Rosa located at Via Cartoleria 10.

I started with this delicious bowl of tortellini in brodo and drank a glass or two of that crisp, white Sicilian wine. Green lasagna with bolognese sauce followed. The jovial owner came round (photo below) and chatted with people while offering little tasting dishes of antipasti.

Many people ask if I am comfortable eating alone in restaurants. The answer is yes, I am. I’ve been travelling alone since I was a teenager. (I also travel with others!) Plus, I don’t see why I should forego a good meal just because I’m on my own. The adventures and experiences of the solo traveller should be as full and enriching (and inclusive) as anyone else’s, is my opinion.

Yum. Dinner for one.

Bologna is a city of arcades. I left the restaurant at around 9:30 pm and ambled through them back to my hotel. I stopped to chat with this father and son who own a shop selling prosciutto, mozzarella and other foodstuffs. It was a warm, early summer night and everyone was out, all ages.

My excellent hotel, located ten minutes from the train station and ten minutes from the town center, was the Royal Hotel Carlton.

More to come.